Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Putting it down
Another six miles tonight. I needed to run. It was one of those runs where I started with a rain cloud over my head and ran away from it. There's something about getting out and just out-distancing your problems.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Run, Run, Run
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfc6nZkIEQg
This is a link to the YouTube Video of the Chicago Marathon in high speed. It is awesome and get's me pumped-up to run it again. It also makes me tired as hell thinking that I am going to get crazy enough to do it again!
http://www.chicagomarathon.com/
This is (obviously) the link for the Chicago Marathon homepage. This year I am running through a charity sponsor, as I was late to register and the marathon sold out of bibs in record time this year. However, as a teacher, the charity I'm running for is a good one. It is called "Rock for Reading" and it delivers books to libraries and students around the Chicago land area who are in need and lack these vital literacy resources.
I remember vividly the vast number of people in the marathon last year (roughly 45,000). It is an overwhelming crowd to say the least. It took about 18 minutes for us to reach the starting line once the race began! I found it almost frustrating initially to be in such a dense running group. One of the greatest challenges for me was having to constantly maneuver around other runners and blocks of pace groups. Running solo and training in the suburbs, there are not many times I find myself stuck behind another runner. Before the marathon this year, I want to try a few races and warm-ups to help me adjust to movement throughout my race. The Soldier Field 10-mile was a good first race of the year for me because of the 15,000 runners and widening and narrowing race track over the entire course. This constant change forces me to be fluid and adapt quickly rather than get "lost" in the flow or running.
http://www.chicagomarathon.com/CMS400Min/uploadedFiles/Chicago_Marathon/Runner_Information/BACM_NIKE_TRAINING.pdf
This is the PDF training program that Nike has put out there. I followed the beginner track last year, and I am thinking of moving into the intermediate and also grabbing parts of the Level 3 if I'm feeling ambitious this year. I know very well that I am not an advanced runner, but I also want to improve and make adjustments after reflecting upon last year. The two main components that I'm working on this year are nutrition and cross-training (including strength conditioning). I never got to my goal weight (180lbs) largely in part because of my lack of nutritional focus. As I move into summer, I have to get more lean proteins and cut-out the fat and other "junk" as much as possible. I am starting to carry around a gallon milk jug of water and have the goal of drinking at least one every day.
The cross training and strength conditioning is also vital. I hit my "wall" last year around mile 23, and I felt it more in my core and mid-section than anything. I need to get my center solid and work on furthering my endurance. I think this year at the final 20-mile run, I will double-back to mile 17 and then re-finish in order to complete an entire 26.2 mile run as part of my training. Until then, keep running, eating, resting, and doing it all over again!
This is a link to the YouTube Video of the Chicago Marathon in high speed. It is awesome and get's me pumped-up to run it again. It also makes me tired as hell thinking that I am going to get crazy enough to do it again!
http://www.chicagomarathon.com/
This is (obviously) the link for the Chicago Marathon homepage. This year I am running through a charity sponsor, as I was late to register and the marathon sold out of bibs in record time this year. However, as a teacher, the charity I'm running for is a good one. It is called "Rock for Reading" and it delivers books to libraries and students around the Chicago land area who are in need and lack these vital literacy resources.
I remember vividly the vast number of people in the marathon last year (roughly 45,000). It is an overwhelming crowd to say the least. It took about 18 minutes for us to reach the starting line once the race began! I found it almost frustrating initially to be in such a dense running group. One of the greatest challenges for me was having to constantly maneuver around other runners and blocks of pace groups. Running solo and training in the suburbs, there are not many times I find myself stuck behind another runner. Before the marathon this year, I want to try a few races and warm-ups to help me adjust to movement throughout my race. The Soldier Field 10-mile was a good first race of the year for me because of the 15,000 runners and widening and narrowing race track over the entire course. This constant change forces me to be fluid and adapt quickly rather than get "lost" in the flow or running.
http://www.chicagomarathon.com/CMS400Min/uploadedFiles/Chicago_Marathon/Runner_Information/BACM_NIKE_TRAINING.pdf
This is the PDF training program that Nike has put out there. I followed the beginner track last year, and I am thinking of moving into the intermediate and also grabbing parts of the Level 3 if I'm feeling ambitious this year. I know very well that I am not an advanced runner, but I also want to improve and make adjustments after reflecting upon last year. The two main components that I'm working on this year are nutrition and cross-training (including strength conditioning). I never got to my goal weight (180lbs) largely in part because of my lack of nutritional focus. As I move into summer, I have to get more lean proteins and cut-out the fat and other "junk" as much as possible. I am starting to carry around a gallon milk jug of water and have the goal of drinking at least one every day.
The cross training and strength conditioning is also vital. I hit my "wall" last year around mile 23, and I felt it more in my core and mid-section than anything. I need to get my center solid and work on furthering my endurance. I think this year at the final 20-mile run, I will double-back to mile 17 and then re-finish in order to complete an entire 26.2 mile run as part of my training. Until then, keep running, eating, resting, and doing it all over again!
Why I Run
Welcome to my new blog: Why I Run. I keep another blog about my family, and I very much enjoy maintaining that site very much. However, this past year I have found myself becoming more and more interested in running and I am now entered into my second Chicago Marathon.
As a result, I have been consumed as of late to improve upon my previous running times and want very much to become a better runner. This blog is a place for me to discuss my thoughts, share my inspirations, motivations, ideas, and information about my running.
A little about my current self: I am 32 years old and live outside of Chicago, IL. I am a 5th grade teacher and love my job. Having the summers to focus on family and self is an important piece to me, and the rest of the time I pour myself into my profession and my family. Over the last roughly three years, I have returned to the sport of running. I ran through college, but lost the spirit after graduation. I am now back to running for myself, and it has been a powerful positive force in my life to say the least.
I currently run an average 9:03min mile, which is a great improvement upon my average 10:34 last year. However, I cannot sustain that for a marathon pace, so I am guessing that I am about a 10min mile marathon pace. Since last year's marathon, I have been doing light runs and eventually built myself back up to strong running levels by training over the winter and spring rather than taking that time off.
I have no professional experience. I have never been on a school or college team of any kind. I have never, until next week, been part of a running group. I am the absolute definition of amateur, but I take myself seriously.
This is my current shoe, the Brooks Ghost 4. I used a Brooks Glycerin 9 last year for training and marathon, but the Ghost is lighter and provides roughly the same support and cushioning. I am sure another pair or something similar will be needed in the later phases of my training this year.
Running gives me freedom to take time to think and clear my mind at the same time. I run because it gives me health and distance from the negative things in life that we all have to deal with. I run because it will give me more time on this Earth with my wife and daughters. I run because it has brought me back from the verge of nothingness and given me added value to my life. I run because I can and I know I may not always be able to. I run because it is a part of me, and I discover new pieces of myself that have been dormant for longer than I care to remember.
As a result, I have been consumed as of late to improve upon my previous running times and want very much to become a better runner. This blog is a place for me to discuss my thoughts, share my inspirations, motivations, ideas, and information about my running.
A little about my current self: I am 32 years old and live outside of Chicago, IL. I am a 5th grade teacher and love my job. Having the summers to focus on family and self is an important piece to me, and the rest of the time I pour myself into my profession and my family. Over the last roughly three years, I have returned to the sport of running. I ran through college, but lost the spirit after graduation. I am now back to running for myself, and it has been a powerful positive force in my life to say the least.
I currently run an average 9:03min mile, which is a great improvement upon my average 10:34 last year. However, I cannot sustain that for a marathon pace, so I am guessing that I am about a 10min mile marathon pace. Since last year's marathon, I have been doing light runs and eventually built myself back up to strong running levels by training over the winter and spring rather than taking that time off.
I have no professional experience. I have never been on a school or college team of any kind. I have never, until next week, been part of a running group. I am the absolute definition of amateur, but I take myself seriously.
This is my current shoe, the Brooks Ghost 4. I used a Brooks Glycerin 9 last year for training and marathon, but the Ghost is lighter and provides roughly the same support and cushioning. I am sure another pair or something similar will be needed in the later phases of my training this year.
Running gives me freedom to take time to think and clear my mind at the same time. I run because it gives me health and distance from the negative things in life that we all have to deal with. I run because it will give me more time on this Earth with my wife and daughters. I run because it has brought me back from the verge of nothingness and given me added value to my life. I run because I can and I know I may not always be able to. I run because it is a part of me, and I discover new pieces of myself that have been dormant for longer than I care to remember.
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